1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering module including a non-rotative pad attached to a central portion of a steering wheel.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 9-321407, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a variety of switches for controlling a driving operation and operating audio units have intensively been mounted on a pad disposed in the central portion of a steering wheel in addition to the conventional horn switch.
An example of a steering wheel apparatus of the foregoing type will now be described with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a steering wheel apparatus. A combination switch 5 is joined to a steering column 3 disposed in a front panel 1. A steering shaft 7 is inserted into the steering column 3 and the combination switch 5. A connector 9, which is connected to a wire harness arranged in the car body portion, is disposed on a surface (a front surface) of the combination switch 5 facing a cabin.
A steering wheel 11 is screwed to a steering shaft 7 with a nut 17 such that the steering shaft 7 is inserted into a hole 15 formed in the central portion of a steering bracket 13. The steering bracket 13 is provided with a circuit board 19 having an operation switch circuit and so forth. The circuit board 19 has a car-body-side connector 21 on the front surface thereof. The car-body-side connector 21 is connected to a connector 9 disposed on the front surface of the combination switch through a rotary connection circuit member (a clock spring) (not shown) disposed on the rear surface of the steering bracket 13 when the steering wheel 11 has been secured to the steering shaft 7.
The steering bracket 13 is provided with a pair of pad bass 23a and 23b. A pad 25 is joined to the pad bases 23a and 23b. The pad 25 accommodates an air bag and so forth. A pad-side connector 27 electrically connected to a squib of the air bag or the like is disposed on the rear surface of the pad 25.
Therefore, when the pad 25 is joined to the pad bases 23a and 23b, the car-body-side connector 21 and the pad-side connector 27 are connected to each other. Thus, electronic components, including the air bag, arranged in the pad 25 is connected to the wire harness 33 arranged in the car body portion.
The foregoing steering wheel apparatus has the structure that the circuit board having the car-body-side connector mounted thereon is secured to the steering bracket. Then, the pad bases are secured to the steering bracket, and then the pad is joined to the pad bases. Thus, the car-body-side connector and the pad-side connector are connected to each other. Therefore, errors occur in an assembling operation between the circuit board and the steering bracket, between the steering bracket and the pad bases and between the pad bases and the pad. Thus, there is apprehension that the positions of the car-body-side connector and the pad-side connector are deviated from each other.
Therefore, the above steering wheel apparatus must employ, for example, a movable connector to serve as the pad-side connector. The movable connector is moved so that the deviation of the positions is absorbed. Therefore, there arises problems in that the workability is unsatisfactory and that employment of the movable connector raises the cost of the part.